VRIJEME JE ZA GOSPODARSTVO Nina Šarić

Guest Nina ŠarićHosted by Darko BukovićMay 3, 2026

Nina Šarić

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

When Nina Šarić launched Pri suncu, her luxury gelato business, it was October 2020. The world was in lockdown, and opening a new venture, especially one tied to seasonal enjoyment, seemed counterintuitive. Yet, it was precisely this environment that shaped her approach: an unyielding commitment to artisanal quality combined with a flexible, adaptable business model. Šarić, who transitioned from a math high school to food technology out of a deep curiosity for sweets, didn't just stumble into gelato. Her concept for Pri suncu, which means 'by the sun,' crystallized during an intensive schooling in Italy, where she absorbed not just techniques but the very philosophy of crafting gelato from scratch. This meant making her own base powder, a decision that immediately set her apart from competitors relying on pre-made mixes. This conversation explores the quiet determination required to build a premium product business in an uncertain market. You'll hear how initial funding came from self-employment grants, how a mobile 'house' became the perfect launchpad, and what it takes to transition from micro-production to retail while preserving the integrity of a handcrafted product. It’s a story about choosing the harder path for the sake of quality, and how that choice defines everything else.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

Nina Šarić's path started in a math high school before she pivoted to food technology, driven by a fascination with sweets. The point is that deep expertise in a craft often comes not from a direct, linear path, but from combining a rigorous, analytical mind with a specific, intense curiosity.

Launching in October 2020, at the height of the COVID crisis, forced Pri suncu to start with a mobile 'house' instead of a fixed location. When uncertainty is the only constant, your initial business model isn't about permanence, but about maximum flexibility to meet the market where it is.

Pri suncu's core differentiator isn't just 'artisanal' but the decision to make their own base powder, rejecting the pre-made mixes most others use. True craft isn't a marketing label; it's a non-negotiable choice to control the ingredients at the most fundamental level, even if it adds complexity.

Nina Šarić describes her father as a business partner who offers 'life school' advice, even as she holds 100% ownership. The value of a family dynamic isn't just shared trust; it's the ability to receive uncensored, deeply experienced mentorship that no external advisor could provide.

Nina Šarić's passion for gelato solidified during an international school in Italy, where the professor conveyed not just techniques, but the 'philosophy' behind the product. True mastery in a craft isn't just technical skill; it's grasping the underlying principles that allow you to innovate authentically, rather than just replicate.

After starting with a wide, experimental palette of flavors, Nina Šarić significantly narrowed her offerings based on what sold best. The first two years of a product business are not about perfecting every SKU, but about using market feedback to define your core, most viable products.

The next step for Pri suncu—launching gelato boxes and stick ice cream into retail stores—is described as 'very demanding,' crossing a 'boundary and barrier' from micro-production. Moving from direct sales to packaged retail isn't just about more volume; it's about shifting from making a product to building a distribution system, with entirely new challenges in logistics and market response.

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